Endless track for vehicles



- Aug. 24,1926,

597,389 O. S. PENN ENDLESS TRACK m VEHICLES Filed April 25-, 1926 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o. s. PENN By his Attorneys Aug. 24,1926.

. 1,597,389 0. s. PENN ENDLESS' TRACK FOR VEHICLES Fileq April 23, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Z J AA Z r a i Z 2i INVENTOR= O. PENN, By his -orneys,

Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

I 1,597,389 UNITED STATES PATENT -FFl-C'E.

OSCAR- S'IPYLES PENN, OF WANDSWORTH COMMON, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ROADLESS TRACTION, LIMITED, 013 MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

ENDLESS rnne'x m VEHICLES.

Application fild April 2a, 1926, Serial No. 104,057, and in Great Britain December 11, 1924.

This invention relates endless tracks for vehicles, and in such tracks, experience has shown it isof importance that the angle of turning of the tracks should be indepen dent ofthe wear on the pins by which the links are coupled together, and the object of the invention is to ensure correct func- S tioning of the tracks by providing means whereby the hinge pins take no part of 0 the load imposed by the weight of the vehicle when the track is turned to a predetermined radius.

According to this invention endless tracks are provided with means fon preventing- 5 parts of the track from turning when the track has turned to a predetermined radius so arranged that little strain or stress due to downward pressure is carried by the pins. The track may consist of a number of similar links, each link having an abutment engaging with an abutment on the adjacent link which prevents the links from turning rela" ,tively to each other more than a predeter- 'mined angle at the point at which the links :5 are at the greatest angle with each other, the

abutments being substantially in a horizontal plane when in their operative position. Theaccompanying drawings illustrate links made in accordance with this invention. Figure 1 is a bottom plan, Figure 2 a side elevation, Figures 3 and 4 are central longitudinal sections, the links'being in different positions, of part of an endless track. Figures 5, 6 and 7 are central 5 longitudinal sections Q of modifications ofthe 1 forms of link shown in the preceding figures. Figure 8 is a bottom plan, Figure 9 a central longitudinal section andv Figure 10 a' transverse section of another form of =9 link. Figures 11 and 12 are. side elevations of two other forms of links. Figure 13 is a section through a modified form.

In Figures 1 .to 4, each link a has two lugs 12 6 each having on one side of the link an abutment 0 extending from it and on the other side of the link one lug-d having an abutment e extending from it. Adjacent links a are connected together by passing through holes inthe lugs b Q The abutment c engages with abutments'g on the adjacent link, while the abutment e engages with an butment h as shown in Figure '3', which prevents the track from turning more than a predetermined angle, and

also on the links areother abu tmentsi and j which as is more particularly shown in Figure 4 prevent the links from turning more than a predetermined angle in the other direction. I

In Figure 5 a projection is extends beyond the abutment 0 and engages with a rubber or like cushion Z on the adjacent link.

In Figure 6 the abutments c and g-each carry cushions m and n.

In Figure 7 the abutments a and g are so formed that the pin f is relieved from end pull. 7

Referring to FiguresS to 10, each link has abutments o p at each end which engage with abutments g r on the adj acentlink. Figures 11 and 12 show other forms of links-with abutments s and t and band in respectively, whereby the connecting pin may be relieved of the load due to downward pressure.

In Figure 13 each link is provided with a rubber sole piece m which together form a tire for the track. When the track nears the horizontal, the adjacent sides of the'sole pieces act as cushions to limit the movement .of the links relative to each other in th1s direction and also to silence the movement. When the links turn about their pivots in the other direction, projections 3 pass through holes 2 in the track shoes and cont act with the inner sides of the sole p eces as to limit the movement in this direction and cushion the same.

What I claim is 1. An endless track for vehicles composed of similar links, pins connecting together adjacent links, and contacting portions on each link one of the contacting portions on each link beinga resilient sole piece, which sole pieces form a tire and coact with another cgntacting portion .on each link .and with each other, to cushion the turning movement of the links in both directions. 2." .An endless track for vehicles composed of similar links, pins connecting together adjacent links, a. resilient sole piece on each link and a projection on each link adapted to engage the solepiece on anadjacent' link when one link is turnedthroughja-predetermined angle inwardly.

i In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 1st day of April, 1926.

oscAn s PENN. 

